Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-09-22
JOE HOLT'S LITTLE GAL.

JOE HOLTS LITTLE GAL.
The little town at the foot of the noun
tain still bears some marks of the mining
camp from which it grew up. 1 found
enough in it to interest me during my
first day here, but my first night at
HustletoWn promised to be- dull enough.
The Metropolitan hotel, where I am
stopping, was altogether barren of met
ropolitan attractions. hard rain storm
set in about dark, and the heavy drops
clattered against the window panes and
ran down in shining streams. I strolled
into the bar and bilIiard-room, in which
at western hotels there is usually abun-
dant life and animation. The only in
mate was the bartender, who, seated on a
low stool and leaning against the beer re-
frigerator, was reading fash illustrated
paper. The single billiard table, covered
with what looked like faded old bed
quilt, wore 3 very and woe-begone look
as if at that moment it might be suffer
ing from nightmare consisting of all
the execrable shots to which during It's
lifetime it had been made an unwilling
party. Several rows of shining pool
balls in the rack against the wall winked
In the dim light of the dingy kerosene
lams. Eight or ten cues, stained with the
grasp of many dirty palms, stood up stiff
and prime in the cue-rack, and at the
end of the bar stood long box spittoon,
the fresh sawdust in which showed the
effects Of recent shot.
/ shook my head at the bartender who
had raised his eyes inquiringly, to signify
that wanted no bar-room refreshments,
then glancing out the dripping window
and spsing bright light across The street,
L I'd a down the brim of my siouch hat,
bu3t3 led nay coat around my throat and
scurN q over to the little saloon which is,
as l learned during the day, the favor
lite refreat of the village tlppiers. A
group of those gentle customers that
are went to booze away their evenings at
such enticing bowers of the bowl were in
the place. A rough looking man whose
ample nose was robed In the crimson hue
in which c0nvival youth of the east some
times paint the town, sat at table sip
ping gin and water, and slipping it too,
with elaboration indicating either an
absence of ardent thirst, or desire to
make the most of the drink, which, for
reasons connected with personal finance
and the limitations upon the credit sys-
tenn maintained at the bar, was quite
likely to be his last drink of the evening.
General" said to him one Of the three
or four like-look1ng men gathered round
the stove, "this is a h0wlin' bad night"
The Observation-Disclosures o-called in a
spirit of a compliment for military SER
vices, perhaps duly recorded somewhere
in the war annals of his country, or in the
way of facetious allusion to his marked
propensity for gin and water, | shall not
attempt to say-poised his spoon long
enough in the air midway from his glass
to his lips to reply that it was, indeed
"a tough 'un, and gettin' wus and wus."
And as if to corobate his unfavorable
opinion Of the weather, the rain beat
against the door and windows with in
creased fury, the wind tore headlong
through the street hitting the swinging
signs blow that made them shrek with
pain and rage. and the rising creek roar
ed III the gulch below.
"Tbat bloomin' creek down there" re-
sumed ''the Gineral." after little pause,
''makes me think of the terrible night
when old Jake Holt's little gal was carried
away in the big spring rise. 1t was nine
teen year ago the comm spring. L can
aIlus recoiIeck when 1t was Without put
TIM it down, cause 1t was the very same
night that Sacramento poker sharp, who
busted the hull of rs, beat my four kings.
ard a-blowin' and the creek howiin' itself
hoarse. What an awful night it was, and
what deal of bad luck and what o. good
it brought to old jake Holt. Jake, ye
see, was allus just the poorest, seedlest,
good for nothinest cuss anywhere round
here. But he was rich man almost
from the fust hour that big storm burst
over the holIer. Yes. sir, sures you're
born. eff it hadn't been for the drownln'
of that pooty little gal down in the run
there Jake might o. been yet the poor,
shiftless coot he was them days, Instead
o the richest man in these parts, which
he is now.
"Well, don't mind tellin' ye the story,
stranger, though it's an old un to folks
hereabouts."
An invitation to shave something with
me" was accepted with cheerful alacrlty,
1t being western principle to never dis
courage generous impulses like mine, no
matter whether more drink is desired or
not, and "the Ginerar' continued:
"The weather all that spring was lust
liGtle the wust you ever See. The snow
melted and ran down the mountains.
leaving their brown sides bare a SIGHT
sooner than I'd ever seen it do before.
The dizzlin' rain never missed a day. 1t
rained just all the time, sometimes hard
er. The sun didn't shine, and for DAYS
and days together we didn't see patch
o. blue sky. Great banks o mist went
,sailin' slowly along the sides of the
mountains, hidin' 'em from the sight of
everybody on this side the run. shower
of rain drops fell out @ the pines with
every breath of the wind. Rain, rain,
ram. The snow KEEP meltin' and the